Composite vessel



J. L. WELLER.

COMPOSITE VESSEL. APPLICATION FILED JULY I. 1913.

1,331,604; Patented Feb. 24,1920.

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Witness 5 as E J. L. WELLER. COMPOSITE VESSEL. APPLICATION FILED JULY 1. 1918.

Patented Feb. 24, 1920.

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JOHN LAING WELLER, OF ST. CATHERINES, ONTARIO, CANADA,

COMPOSITE VESSEL.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 24, 1920.

App1ication filed July 1, 1918. Serial No. 242,953.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, JOHN L. WELLER, a subject of the King of Great Britain and Ireland, residing at St. Catherines, in the county of Lincoln, Province of Ontario, Dominion of Canada, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Composite.

Vessels, of which the following is a specification, reference'bemg had therein to the accompanying drawing.

This invention relates to the construction of floating structures, such as ships, barges, scows, etc.

It is an object of the invention generally to improve the hull structure, and particularly to form such a structure in an economical manner of concrete 'or other suitable initially plastic material and wooden elements so assembled that the required strength may be obtained.

It also is an object of the invention to form the hull of such materials and in such manner that certain structural difiiculties may be avoided, such, for example, as the use of wooden planking at places Where transverse curvature would have to be given thereto.

Another object of the invention is to facilitate the making of a tightly-calked joint'between the wooden and molded portions of the hull skin.

When read in connection with the description herein, the details of construction and arrangement of parts contemplated by the invention will be apparent from the accompanying drawings, forming part hereof, wherein an embodiment of the invention is disclosed, for purposes of illustration, as ap lied to a barge.

hile the disclosures herein now are considered to exemplify a preferable embodiment of the invention, it is to be understood that it is not the intention to be limited necessarily thereto 'in interpretation of the claims, as modifications and adaptations within the limits of the claims can be made without departing from the nature and spirit of the invention.

Like reference-characters refer to corresponding parts in the views of the drawings, of which Figure l is a plan view, certain parts be ing broken away;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation, certain parts being broken away; and

Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional View with parts shown in perspective projection.

The lower portion of the hull includes transverse frame members of molded concr'ete'or other suitable initially plastic material. Each of these members comprises an intermediate portion 5 extending across the bottom of the hull, an upright 6 at each end (which in the embodiment shown is sub stantially perpendicular to the intermediate portion), and an obliquely-disposed or inclined brace 7 extending from the intermediate portion to a place near the top of each upright, there being on the brace a substantially horizontal shoulder or abutment 8 adjacent to the jointure of the brace and upright. Preferably the uprights extend above the light-draftwater-line of the hull.

In the position corresponding to that of the keelson in vessel of ordinary construction, a longitudinal member 9 connects the transverseframe members, it being, preferably, of the same material as those members and being cast integrally in position therewith.

The outer skin of the vessel at the bottom and up the bilges to a place above the lightdraft water-line is molded of concrete or other suitable initially plastic aggregate suitably reinforced and secured to the frame members, as indicated by 10.

The lower portion of the ceiling or inner sidingof the vessel on each side is formed of a reinforced slab or wall 11 of concrete or other initially plastic aggregate, covering the slanting or oblique braces 7 and filling the spaces at the shoulders or abutments 8, whereby greater thickness and strength obtained at those places. A plank floor 12 extends over the intermediate portions of the frame members between the lower edges of the slabs, the floor and slabs forming a substantially hopper-shaped bottom forthc hold of the hull.

Wooden timbers 13, disposed in substantially vertical position, overlap at their lower portions the upper portions of the up rights 6, to the sides of which they are secured by bolts 14:, the timbers and uprights iZOIi-ftltutlllg the side frame members of the The outer skin of the vessel, above the lower molded part 10, is formed of wooden planking 15, secured to the outside of the timbers 13 in any suitable manner common to ship construction. The upper edge of the molded skin has a straight-line finish in order that a good calking joint may be had between it and the lowermost lines of planking.

A stringer member 16 extends along each side of the hull and is boltedto the upper portions of the timbers. Deck-beams 17 rest on the stringer members and are secured to the timbers, and pairs of transverse girders 18 in similar positions are connected at intervals of the length of the vessel to opposite timbers. 'A stanchion 19 is bolted amldships in its upper portion to each pair of girders and at its foot it is set into the angle at the intersection of an intermediate portion of a frame member and longitudinal mem ber 9, to which parts it is bolted. T he girders also are strengthened by braces 20 extending from frame timbers to the girders, between each pair of which such a brace is bolted. Adeck 21 is carried by the deck beams and girders.

WVooden siding 22 is secured to the inside of the timbers between the upper edges of the slabs 11 and the stringers 16.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a hull, transverse frame members of concrete or the like in the lower part thereof having uprights at their ends, an outer skin molded of concrete or the like extending over the bottom and up the sides of the hull and secured to said frame members, wooden frame members secured to said uprights and extending upwardly therefrom, and planking secured to the outside of said wooden frame members above said molded skin.

2. In a hull, transverse frame members of concrete or the like in'the lower part thereof having uprights at their ends, an outer skin molded of concrete or the like extending over the bottom and up the sides of the hull and secured to said frame members, the upper edges of said skin having a straight-line finish, wooden frame members secured to said uprights and extending upwardly therefrom, and planking secured to the outside of said wooden frame members, there being tightly-calked joints between the lowermost planking and the upper edges of said molded skin. r

3. Ina hull, transverse frame members of concrete or the like in the lower part thereof members above said molded skin, a girderj securedto two opposite wooden frame members, and a stanchion secured to said girder and to one of said transverse frame members.-

i. In a hull, transverse frame members of concrete or the like in the lower part thereof having uprights at their. ends, a keelson member comiecting said frame members, an outer skin molded of concrete or the like extending over the bottom and up the sides of the hull and secured to said frame members, wooden frame members secured to said uprights and extending upwardly therefrom, planking secured to the outside .of said wooden frame members above said'molded skin, a girder secured to two opposite wooden frame members, and a stanchion secured to said girder and to one of said transverse frame members and the keelson member at the place of intersection thereof.

5. Ina hull, transverse frame members of concrete or the like comprising an intermediate portion, an upright at each end, and a brace extending. from the intermediate portion to a place near the top of each up- .6. In a hull, transverse frame members of concrete or the like comprising an intermediate portion, an upright at each end, and an inclined brace extending from the intermediate portionto. each upright, anabutment near the top' of each brace, an outer skin extending over the bottom and up the sides of the vhull, and an'inclined wall of molded concrete or the like supported by the braces on each side of the hull fillin the spaces at the abutments and thereby eing anchored thereto. g

In testimony whereof Iaflix my signature.

JOHN LAING WELLER. 

